Mr. Saichiro Misumi, former Honorary Vice President of the Japan India Association, the oldest friendship association of Japan, passed away at the age of 101 years in Tokyo on 23 February 2018. The Government of India had conferred on Mr. Misumi, one of its highest civilian awards, the Padma Bhushan in 2015, in recognition of his immense contribution to the promotion of India-Japan relations over a period of more than 70 years.

Mr Misumi played a vital role in reviving the Japan India Association during the organization’s difficulties in the post-war period and is credited with facilitating its growth into what it is today. He took a number of Economic and Cultural delegations from Japan to India and facilitated a number of Indian delegations which visited Japan. He had actively supported and had personally attended to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose during his visit to Japan in June 1943 by organizing his lecture in Tokyo. He had met Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Justice Radha Binod Pal personally. He was associated with the various events organised during the visits of the Foreign Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1978 and Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. In 1990, Mr. Misumi was conferred with the 5th Order of the Sacred Treasure (Zui-ho Order, Gold and Silver Rays) by the Emperor of Japan for his work in promoting India-Japan relations. In 1992, Mr. Misumi visited India and presented sakura seedlings to the President of India in commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the India-Japan Peace Treaty.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Mr. Misumi at the reception hosted by Japan India Association on 2 September 2014 in Tokyo. Under Prime Minister’s Modi’s direction, a documentary was made by the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs on Mr. Misumi’s association with India.

Mr. Misumi, accompanied by his daughter, visited India personally to receive the Padma Bhushan award from the President of India in March 2015 in the field of Other (Propagation of Indian Culture). He underwent this travel despite having to undergo hemodialysis three times a week. The Government of India made all arrangements to make his stay comfortable, including special needs such as hemodialysis and round-the-clock ambulance.

Even in his later years, Mr. Misumi often made it a point to attend events hosted by the Embassy of India including, most recently, the 69th Republic Day of India reception on 26 January 2018. He was a regular practitioner of Yoga and attributed his longevity to it. He also read the Bhagwad Gita regularly and drew inspiration from it. Mr Misumi was also known as an avid photographer who left a substantial body of works shot during his travels in India.

Ambassador of India to Japan H.E. Sujan R. Chinoy converses with Padma Bhushan Awardee Mr. Saichiro Misumi on the occasion of the 69th Republic Day of India reception in Tokyo on 26 January 2018